Rehabilitation
by fluoroid
Summary: Adrien experiences post traumatic stress after being kidnapped. In order to cope, Adrien allows Chat to take over, but his body has yet to heal. Meanwhile, Gabriel seeks power to aid his son's recovery giving Hawkmoth a new reason to obtain the Ladybug and Cat miraculouses. A standalone sequel to a short story "Broken Pieces - Follow-Through".
1. Reunion

__Sequel to chapter 4 "Antihero" of my series of shorts titled "Broken Pieces", suggested by__ _ _ **Ayolen**__ _ _. I decided to make this a stand alone since this particular idea revolves around Marinette / Ladybug's relationship with Adrien more than Gabriel's.__

* * *

 ** _ _Chapter 1: Reunion__**

News of Adrien's kidnapping had immediately spread like fire throughout the school the next day. Aside from Chloe's predictable dramatic reaction to the event, Nino was clearly the most shaken. As a result, Alya spent a majority of her free time consoling the boy, listening to him as often as he needed to talk about his worries and concerns over his best friend. While she missed her favorite superhero duo, Alya decided it was fortunate that Hawkmoth was so inactive as of late, as it allowed her to spend less time updating the Ladyblog and pay the much needed attention to her boyfriend instead. Adrien hadn't been to school since the incident which had happened a little over two weeks ago. Nino had taken it upon himself to relay assignments and notes to the Agreste mansion everyday after school let out. Everyone supposed he felt it was the least he could do for his friend, but Alya knew Nino silently hoped he would eventually be allowed in to see Adrien rather than being dismissed after receiving a formal 'thank you' from Nathalie.

Meanwhile, Marinette was beside herself. Because Alya was preoccupied with a decidedly more worthy cause and she had already talked Tikki's ear off, she tried to keep what worry remained to herself. Aside from Adrien's absence, Hawkmoth hadn't been active and Chat was nowhere to be found. Continuing to do her routine patrols provided a small sense of normalcy and distracted her from the dark thoughts that poked at the edges of her imagination, but it still didn't feel right. It was that night, however, that she found she couldn't contain herself any longer. Flying through the air with focused resolve, she carefully avoided the gaze of the now increased surveillance on the Agreste mansion and landed on a windowsill on the second floor. A lamp illuminated the room indicating the boy was still awake and sure enough as she peered around the wall, Ladybug found herself staring down at the frazzled head of Adrien.

Her heart clenched painfully in her chest as she noted his heavy, fatigued eyes and the dark circles that lay under them, standing out in stark contrast to the pallid color of his skin. His hair was tousled carelessly as if he hadn't bothered to comb it, and the hoodie he donned seemed ill fitting. . . it was probably just her imagination that he appeared skinnier than usual though, as she hadn't seen him in weeks. Small details were easy to forget. She gazed on him sadly as he wandered aimlessly around the spacious room, wishing she could help him in some way, when he suddenly looked up, matching her surprised reaction with one of his own. Ladybug darted back behind the shelter of the wall, catching her breath as she hyperventilated at the sudden shock. She hadn't intended to _actually_ make him aware she was there, she just wanted to make sure he was alright.

A small couple of taps rapped against the window. She peered carefully to her side to find a hand placed against the other side of the pane, seemingly waiting for her return. Ladybug gulped as she mustered her heroine's courage before coming back into view. The corners of the boy's mouth pulled upward slightly as her eyes met his. He quickly fidgeted and fumbled with the lock on the window before successfully lifting its hold, pushing the window open as an invitation to let her in. The red clad Marinette timidly let herself in, dropping softly to the carpeted floor to find herself suddenly wrapped in a tight hug. Adrien buried his face into her shoulder, shivering quietly against her as she wrapped her arms firmly around him, pulling him more tightly into her.

His fists gripped the leather material of her suit at her back with such vigor his knuckles turned white. He shuddered as he repressed the emotion swelling up within his gut, focusing on the steady rise and fall of her chest against his, trying instead to match his breathing rate with hers. After a long moment, Adrien released her reluctantly and slowly backed away. He staggered slightly as he parted from her to which she responded by gently, but quickly clasping his underarm in support, helping him back to his bed where he collapsed with exhaustion. He wiped his sleeve over his eyes and then looked up at the girl when she took a seat on the edge of the bed next to where he lay. He hadn't realized how much he had missed her. And while she remained unaware of his alter ego, he was grateful his lady had paid him a visit.

Silence spanned between them as Marinette contemplated what to say. After a long moment, she opened her mouth.

"It's been a little while, huh?" she stated, lamely, berating herself inwardly for her more 'Marinette-like' behavior.

He nodded at her, but didn't reply.

"I heard what happened. . ." she continued. "How are you doing?"

Adrien's lips parted as if to say something, but his words were silent. She stared at him with mild confusion when he tried again, but only a ghost of a whisper escaped him. Ladybug's brows furrowed with worry as she looked at him when Adrien's expression creased in anguish causing tears to fall from his eyes.

"Oh, Adrien. . . I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to-"

She put her gloved hand to his forehead and brushed his mussy bangs back gently in a effort to soothe him. He rattled under her touch, trying desperately to contain the tears that poured freely down his cheeks, hiccuping as he sucked in a gasp. His entire frame shook making it clear to Ladybug that the past few weeks could not have been easy on him. She lifted her hand to reposition it only to find him clasping her other wrist with both hands. The girl was about to reply, tell him she was just shifting a little, but his eyes expressed his worry. He didn't want her to leave already. Marinette responded rather by placing her hand against his check, brushing her thumb under his eye to wipe away the newly formed tears, reassuring him she wasn't going anywhere.

Adrien relaxed slightly, pulling his legs up onto the bed in a curl before melting into the down comforter beneath him as he nuzzled into her hand. Had she not her mask, Adrien might have spotted the blush that bloomed across the heroine's face. Her touch was extremely comforting, and he felt his eyelids grow heavy as if the long evasive sleep was finally accepting his desperate petition. She seemed to notice and ran her fingers again through his hair which set him even further adrift in the arms of Morpheus.

"I should probably head home before it gets too late. . ." she said remorsefully, regretting her inability to remain with him all night. "Will you be alright?"

Adrien barely nodded in acknowledgment, turning his head further into the reach of her fingers. She continued to brush the locks of his hair about for another ten minutes or so until she was certain he was asleep. Ladybug reached over him and pulled a lighter blanket from the corner of the bed, spreading it over him before gently parting his bangs once more. Without a second thought, she bent down and placed her lips against his forehead with a soft kiss. After turning the lamp off, she climbed back onto the windowsill, slowly pulling the window as close to shut as she could manage. She whispered to him before disappearing into the night.

"I'll be back tomorrow. Sleep well, my sweet Adrien."

* * *

 _ _A/N: My initial thought was to make this a one shot, but I've come up with an idea for more content. Be on the lookout for a new chapter in the future! It'll be sporadic, but I'll try and update soon.__


	2. Empty

_A/N: **Update 9/4/2017 -** Sorry for the misinformation about the prequel. It's called "Follow-Through" instead of "Anti-hero". I forgot I renamed it post production._

 _This chapter came to a close more quickly than I had anticipated. I came up with a majority of the idea as I was falling asleep last night, so here you go. A fresh new chapter. Hope you enjoy it!_

* * *

 ** _ _Chapter 2: Empty__**

Today was a good day. A refreshingly relaxing one in comparison to what Adrien had been experiencing since the incident. It was as if all his anxiety had miraculously disappeared overnight. Everything seemed brighter. The sun was warm and the breeze provided a soft coolness, teasing his blonde locks playfully as he reclined against the grassy hill beneath him. Birds fluttered in the sky overhead, passing his view of the peaceful skyline of Paris. Yes sir, Adrien could easily say this was the best he'd felt in a long time and he doubted anything could make it better. . . At least until he saw a red clad girl with blue pigtails in the distance. His heart leapt with excitement and his gut filled with butterflies as he made the realization his lady had come.

Ladybug strode quietly over to him and asked if she might join him to which he nodded eagerly. She promptly sat next to him. As she did, she brushed lightly against his arm sending the thrill of a tingling sensation up his spine, quickening his pulse. They looked over the city together in silence. Silent, that is, with the exception of the rapid beat of Adrien's heart thrumming against his chest and reverberating in his head. She made him feel alive and his internal response to her presence only made that all the more obvious. He turned to look at her to find her smiling kindly at him, resulting in another happy flip from his stomach. The girl's long lashes accentuated her bright blue eyes in such a way that it caused his breath to catch in the back of his throat as he attempted to speak.

The red heronie spared him his need to reply by gently shushing him with a single finger to his lips as she giggled sweetly, shaking her head with a smile. He felt her slender gloved fingers weave their way between his that sat against the grass. Stiffening slightly in surprise and unsure of how to react, he just remained there, gradually melting under the warmth of her hand. The blue eyed girl leaned toward him, her face sweeping against his, sending another wave of endorphins coursing through the length of his body. She then whispered something incoherent in his ear causing the hairs on the back of his neck to stand straight. A gentle peck on the cheek put a quick end to any and all focus he retained, instead, his head spun with ecstasy sending him rocking back into the grassy field below. Ladybug followed him, laying down next to his side all the while keeping her hand entwined in his.

The heroine giggled again, nuzzling her face against his shoulder. He turned onto his side to look at her, daring to reach to her face to reset a lock of stray hair past her cheek. She smiled again, her eyes tempting him to kiss her. Reaching up, she took his hand that remained against her face.

"Adrien."

Her voice echoed in his mind. He stared at her with wide eyed confusion when her lips didn't move and he heard her voice again.

"Adrien," her voice repeated, "are you happy?"

Of course he was. Did she really need to ask? With her, he felt safe. Alive. Like the world could tumble out of existence, crumble completely beneath them but he would still be okay. He sat up, gazing down at her as he formulated a response in his mind. He would tell her. Tell her how he felt about her. That he was the Chat Noir. Everything. He would.

But it wasn't that simple.

The words didn't come. Adrien's expression fell as he realized the words weren't there. They would never come. Ladybug's face seemed to droop as well, her features wilting into a sad, pitying expression as Adrien stared at her. His mouth remained agape, his lips trembling at his inability to speak. A shadow cast over the girl's face as the sky darkened suddenly, obscuring her features entirely. Adrien felt his gut twist violently when a pit formed in his stomach, Ladybug dissipating before his very eyes as her form faded into a black field of nothing. He tried to call her name, groping desperately at the place where she once lay hoping to find a trace of his heroine, but the space beyond his hands remained void. The darkness grew, surrounding him like a growing puddle of water. He wanted to scream as the black ate him. Steadily climbing up his legs and torso, binding his arms to his side, the black water-ish substance coated him further, taunting him in his inability to escape.

A dim light suddenly stripped away the darkness. It felt cold. Adrien found himself lying on a dirty floor, unable to move. A yellow grin with a gold tooth leaned over him. Adrien jerked away from him instinctively, only to bump into a pair of legs at his back. He cast a nervous look over his shoulder only to have his attention brought abruptly back to the skinny, yellow toothed man in front of him.

"Do you still want to scream?" the man asked, baring a disconcerting, Cheshire-like grin before flipping a blade open right in front of the boy's nose.

Adrien tried to yell, call out to Ladybug for help, or anyone. . . but the sound hitched deep at the back of his throat, failing to escape his vocal cords. He let out a panicked gasp, exerting himself with every ounce of energy he had, but his voice remained trapped. His mouth felt like it was crammed full with a rough, wadded cloth. He wretched dryly against it, desperate to release himself from whatever force bound his tongue and limbs, but to no avail. The smirking man leaned closer to where he lay, carelessly drawing the knife across across the blonde's jaw, down along his neck, working his way slowly down to the back of the boy's hand. It didn't hurt, but a dark crimson fluid poured from the lines carved into his skin, dripping to the floor with a series of sickening splats. Adrien thrashed unsuccessfully against the abuse when his assailant suddenly paused his motions as if pondering something, the blood coated knife dangling from his hand. The eyes of the man were dead, unreadable, causing Adrien's panic to escalate, his eyes blowing wide with terror when the man's statue-like posture unfroze without warning.

"Try again," the man said.

A sudden white hot pain stabbed into Adrien's thigh, just above his knee, causing his entire body to jolt with an arch backward. He fell as his body continued to contort and there was nothing he could do to stop it. Darkness embraced him with a smothering thickness, daring him to breathe in and choke on its suffocating mass. All of the light disappeared as he descended into black, continuing to fall and fall.

And fall.

. . . . .

Adrien jumped with a start, finding himself tangled messily in a thin blanket. Flailing in a mad effort to free himself, the blonde found himself falling from the edge of the mattress onto the floor face down with a thud. Ignoring the pain in his nose he threw the sheet from him as if were on fire, rapidly pulling himself backward away from the bed- the source his terror always spawned from. He heaved frantically as he tried to breathe properly. Plagg woke up somewhere above him with a snort. The small entity, having been startled awake looked around the room quickly in alarm before dropping from his small nest of a bed to hover over Adrien's shoulder.

The boy sobbed with small noises as he curled into himself, pulling a knee up to his chin. He emitted a choking noise as his frame trembled erratically to which the small cat-like being sympathetically touched the back of his shoulder. Adrien flinched at the contact, so Plagg instantly retracted his paw, drifting from him until he hovered in front of the blonde's face. Moonlight glistened off the tears streaming across his cheeks but his eyes remained downcast, so the kwami decided to speak up.

"Another nightmare?"

Adrien nodded dully as he continued to stare at the floor, stuttering a sniff as he raised a shaky arm up to wipe at his face.

"Aw, kid. . ." Plagg sighed sadly, hugging up against the boy's chest by his shoulder. "By the looks of things, your knee still bothers you too, doesn't it?"

Adrien nodded in small motions, gratefully cupping the small being against him with both hands. Tears continued to leak from his tired eyes but his shuddering sigh was slightly calmer than the rapid breathing he had experienced only moments ago. The cat burrowed into the loose fabric of the hoodie wishing, not for the first time, that he had Tikki's healing powers. But as it was, he simply held the power of destruction. While he enjoyed his counter role to the Ladybug on most occasions, it was times like these that made him feel useless. But while he couldn't heal, him it dawned on him, perhaps he could aid Adrien in his recovery. He looked in the direction of the boy's glossy, green eyes, pulling back a bit so Adrien could see him.

"Hey kid, I know you haven't really been feeling bold enough, but-" his voice trailed off. Adrien blinked the remaining tears from his eyes and looked at Plagg with a mildly eager curiosity. "I just thought, maybe if you transformed, I could help you more, you know?" Adrien cocked his head to the side. "What I mean to say is, well. . . I can't help you in the same way Tikki can help Ladybug or anything, but perhaps my magic can give you a bit of a buffer," Plagg shrugged. "I can protect you physically when you're Chat Noir, so what's stopping me from concentrating on keeping you mentally healthy?"

Adrien let out a breath much like a muted laugh, smiling slightly at the little cat and wiped his face another time. Plagg beamed at his reaction, flitting into the air with renewed determination.

"So what do you say? You game?" Plagg stated enthusiastically. Adrien nodded. "You just need to give the command."

". . ."

"Plagg, transform me," is what Adrien tried to say. However, he was steadily growing accustomed to the disappointing breathy, wordless noise he emitted instead. He lips quivered as he relapsed into his fears, the steep spiral threatening to take him down again. Plagg noticed immediately. However, instead of going to his default, pessimistic responses, he tried to spur hope in the teen.

"Wait, wait, wait," he said, waving a paw in front of his face. "That's not what I meant. We're transforming you with the intent to help you speak again, _along with_ everything else. Right?" Adrien waited for him to continue. "So use another form of communication."

Adrien stared at him, arching an eyebrow indicating he didn't understand where Plagg was going with his thought. Plagg drifted over to the computer and pushed the mouse about in order to restore the monitor from sleep mode. He then proceeded to dart back and forth, clacking the buttons of the keyboard as he went, pulling up a search result in a browser. "Langue des Signes Française."

"I just need a refresher course," Plagg replied when he saw Adrien react in his peripheral. "I had a deaf Chat once upon a time so I quickly learned sign language, but it was a _long_ time ago. Ah ha!" he exclaimed. "There. Now I remember. You can just spell my name out. You know the alphabet, right? And there are your other commands," he said, gesturing a small paw at the screen.

The blonde looked intently at the monitor, clumsily practicing the shapes with his hands. He looked to Plagg.

"You sure you want to do this?" Plagg asked. "I don't want you to feel like you _have_ to, and besides, we don't even know if this will work."

Adrien shook his head with a small smile, shrugging as if to say they had nothing to lose. Without hesitation, he inexpertly signed the words "Plagg, transform me." The cat nodded with a giant smile as he was sucked into the ring. Now clad in black leather and pointed ears, Adrien turned toward the moonlight sky beyond his windows before triumphantly exclaiming:

"Chat Noir is back."

* * *

 _ _A/N: I keep putting this poor kid through the wringer. At least little Plagg is keeping an eye out for him. The next chapter will be a little lighter, and I'll try to update sometime next weekend. Thanks for reading!__


	3. The Other Reunion

_A/N: Here's an early update. Enjoy this lighter chapter. :)_

 _Thank you to everyone for your reviews and encouragement! You're all awesome._

* * *

 _ **Chapter 3: The Other Reunion**_

It felt like it had been forever since he had transformed and Plagg agreed with that sentiment entirely. The feel of the leather suit, though far from foreign, was stiff and Adrien didn't move in it as naturally as he used to. It was minor thing though because surprisingly, he felt like Plagg was spot on in his assumption. As Chat Noir, he had the fresh courage of the superhero and the best thing was, his speech was unimpeded. While the suit didn't feel quite right, everything else seemed like it was back to normal. A happy, healthy normal. Adrien let the grin on his face spread wide. It was great to feel the daring surge of the cat's spirit again.

He exited his room with a more careful trepidation than usual. His father had more surveillance installed around the grounds since Adrien had returned home. The last thing he wanted was to make his father think Chat was some kind of night burglar- or worse, put two and two together and realize that his own son was the masked superhero of Paris. If his father ever found out, he'd be confined to the house for life for doing something so dangerous. So he took it nice and slow as he made his way out of the Agreste estate, making mental notes as he went so his return trip would be easier.

Once on the rooftops, he observed the city with a gradual, full rotation, taking in a deep breath of the cool night air as he did so. He reveled in the sights, the smells, the relative quietness of the night. Apparently he had also missed patrols more than he first figured. Whipping out his baton, he took flight. Dashing and leaping across rooftops, the feeling of rejuvenating excitement washed over him as oxygen coursed through his lungs and into his muscles. His heart raced and his lungs soon burned as he bolted across the city. It had been too long since his last jaunt. If it hadn't been so late, he would have sought Ladybug out, but the clock face in one of the many parks told him his lady had finished patrol long ago. So he continued running, disregarding the protest his weakened body petitioned. He was finally free.

After another spree, he decided to yield to his screaming lungs, catching himself at his knees as he sucked in some deep breaths to replenish his stamina. Sweat poured down his forehead as he looked at his surroundings, noticing the top of the small, familiar corner bakery just in the distance. Having rested on Marinette Dupain-Cheng's balcony on a couple of occasions, he decided her small outdoor chair would provide a far superior resting spot than the dingy metal ledge he currently squatted on. He wiped his face before extending his baton, vaulting over the remaining obstacles coming to his classmate's balcony with a light thump. However, upon landing he stumbled when his strength waned, resulting in a crash when he careened into a potted plant.

"Oww. . ." he grumbled, gingerly rubbing his upper arm where it had been impacted.

Fortunately nothing around him had broken, only a little soil had spilled from the pot the plant sat in. He carefully rose to his feet, ensuring he didn't upset anything else in the process. There was a good chance he had woken someone up, and he hoped it hadn't been-

"P-princess!" he exclaimed with a start, falling back onto his butt.

"Chat-" Marinette lowered the large textbook she was wielding in front of her. "Chat. . ." she repeated dumbly, her mind reeling as she trying to process what had just happened.

"Chat Noir!" she exclaimed.

The cat crumpled back at her raised voice, balking as he looked at his classmate who almost appeared. . . infuriated.

"He-y Marinette, sorry about the mess. An-and I didn't mean to wake you," he added with a stammer, waving his hands apologetically in front of his face after seeing her frown increase.

Marinette's glare softened a bit as she stared down at him. Chat watched her cautiously, unsure how upset she could be when woken up abruptly in the middle of the night. Her attire then caught his eye and he found his gaze traveling up a cute set of pink flannel pants with a black tee shirt with a white silhouette of a cat's head in the center. Her hair was a ruffled clump of wavy locks from the crimps of the pigtails she wore daily and her face wore a displeased frown. He stifled the impulse to chuckle as he knew it would just further provoke her rage. But she was really cute. Adorable, really. A hint of a smile must have slipped past him, as the girl's expression soured anew.

"Where have you been?!"

There. She said it.

Adrien gaped. Why the sudden concern for Chat's whereabouts? Last he checked, Marinette never requested updates, let alone even suggest to schedule the next time he would stop by. Did he miss something?

"Oh, you know, around," he replied casually. There was no reason she had to know what he'd been going through.

"Ladybug hasn't seen you in weeks," she pointed out, angrily, throwing her arms in the air as emphasis.

Wait, she had spoken with Ladybug? Granted, it didn't seem odd once he played the idea through his mind. Ladybug had interacted with their class on a number of occasions, she knew many of them by name, and she even knew Adrien. Besides, he talked with her sometimes as Chat so why should it surprise him that Marinette might speak with Ladybug as well?

"Where have you been?" Marinette demanded again, regaining Chat's attention.

She now towered over him, crossing her arms as fury continued to burn at the backs of her eyes. Couldn't he see that she was upset? It didn't matter that she wasn't Ladybug. Had Hawkmoth been active, it would have been all of Paris that suffered, not just her. Chat remained on the ground in front of her, splayed ungracefully on her balcony. In the _middle_ of the _night_. It was the first time she had seen him in weeks and he owed her an explanation. She had nearly been worried sick with anxiety over his well being, and now he just shows up, uninvited, as carefree as ever. Her stony expression melted as it hit her again. Chat was sitting in front of her, worse for wear. Her partner. Her kitty. The one, who in her darkest dreams, she feared she may have lost. And based on his current appearance, her fears weren't completely quelled.

Marinette dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her chin on his shoulder. What had he been through? She shuddered briefly before she steeled herself again, pulling away from a dumbfounded cat to look him in the eyes. Up close, his eyes looked bleary, and he was breathing more laboriously than usual. She frowned at him again upon noticing his face seemed more gaunt. A faint line of puckered skin ran down his left cheek to his jaw, like he had scraped his face something awful.

"She. . . and I," Marinette added tentatively, "have been very worried about you."

"I'm sorry," Chat said, his gaze dropping so he was no longer looking at her directly. "I was. . . sick," he finally finished with great effort. "Quite sick. Bedridden for a majority of the time," he added, his eyes still staring past her. It wasn't a complete lie. Adrien just didn't know what else he could say without drawing unnecessary attention to himself. "I'm fine now, though," he said, turning back to her, making sure she noticed his large grin.

Marinette felt her stomach sink with guilt as he gave his alibi. How could she fault him for that? It wasn't his choice whether he became ill or not. Just because it hadn't happened in the past (or at least not for weeks at a time), didn't mean he was immune to human frailties. Ladybug of all people should have realized that. Her eyes wrinkled with sadness as she gazed at him. Despite his facade, he still looked less lively and more tired than usual and he certainly didn't exude the same level of overconfidence he normally showed. He was obnoxious, that much was true, but she still cared about him. And his appearance in contrast to his behavior worried her somewhat. She ruffled his hair in an effort to lighten the mood to which he turned and gave her a sheepish smile. She returned with a wry smirk of her own. She still wasn't pleased he had woken her up, but at least she now knew he was safe.

"You'd better inform Ladybug tomorrow then," Marinette instructed sternly as she pulled the boy to his feet.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," he agreed, still feeling self-conscious. He dusted himself off as Marinette turned her back to straighten the disheveled pot. After collecting his baton, he turned and reached for the railing when Marinette wheeled around.

"Wait a second," she said, stabbing a finger in his direction. "That doesn't explain what you're doing on my balcony so late. I mean, 3:30 in the morning is __a little__ late for even you, wouldn't you agree?" She was crossing her arms again, tapping an impatient finger against her upper arm.

Adrien shifted uncomfortably before looking back to her.

"With all the sleep I've gotten lately, I was feeling restless tonight. I decided to go out and get some fresh air."

"Is that all?" she asked, eyeing him skeptically.

"I- uh, needed a breather," he confessed, rubbing at his arm again. "I'm a little out of shape, and happened to be in the neighborhood. . . and you have a nice chair out here so- I . . . uh. . ."

Marinette giggled. Adrien froze, relaxing a little when her giggle continued.

"It's okay, kitty," she reassured him. "But you really should try and get some sleep. You don't want to get sick again, do you?"

"You're right about that, Princess."

She rolled her eyes dramatically at the pet name, suppressing the smile that spread across her face, but allowed him to kiss the back of her hand before leaving. Everything seemed normal again as he bowed and leapt onto the railing before waving her off, but then something caught her attention that she found unsettling. Had she not been so experienced as Ladybug, she probably would have missed it. . . but her trained eyes were certain she had seen him wince just now, if only for a second. That alone was more disconcerting than anything else she had discovered about him that night. Why was he pretending everything was okay? And had he really just been ill? She peered at him with concern as he vaulted into the night, contemplating all the details she would grill him about tomorrow. A large yawn pushed her eyelids down as the need for more sleep overtook her. She shuffled mindlessly back into her room where she threw herself down on the bed. A sleepy Tikki looked up at Marinette as the girl pulled her covers up to her chin.

"Is Chat alright?" the kwami asked.

"Yeah. He's. . . fine," Marinette muttered with another yawn before rolling over, letting her eyes droop shut.

 _'At least, I hope he is. . .'_

* * *

 _A/N: Yay! I found a way to put some Marichat in here!_

 _The next update will still probably be this weekend. Might as well keep going strong. ;)_


	4. Predictable and Unpredictable

__A/N: Here's the next chapter! Hope you like it.__

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Predictable and Unpredictable**

Plagg groaned loudly, communicating his displeasure as he yanked down on his lower eyelids. Adrien chose to ignore him, removing his workout pants he had been wearing all night before clumsily dropping back onto the edge of the bed in his boxers. He gradually identified the end of the bloodied bandage dressing his knee and unraveled it gently, revealing an aggravated patch of swollen skin held together with a couple of dark sutures. His kwami and he grimaced in tandem as they noted infection and blood slowly oozing from the injury. Plagg made another exasperated groan.

"When I suggested transforming, I didn't mean you should gallivant about and exert yourself to your absolute limit," he grumbled angrily, decidedly finished being patient. "It was just supposed to be a small break."

Adrien scowled at him before softly poking the site, only to elicit a hiss of pain from himself.

"Yeah, sure, kid. _Poke_ it. You've already opened it up again anyway." Plagg rolled his eyes.

A weak sigh escaped the boy as he pushed himself from his bed. Limping over to the bathroom, pulling a hand towel from a cupboard before propping himself on the edge of the tub. Plagg went instead to the mini fridge and phased through its door, re-phasing into the bathroom to plop onto the counter with a small wheel of Camembert cheese. He hastily unwrapped a section, grumpily stuffing the contents into his mouth as he watched Adrien test the water running from the tap and wetting the edge of the towel.

"Don' ge yours-siches-swet," the cat advised as he stuffed another portion down his throat.

Adrien carefully dabbed the cloth at the edges of the wound, trying to soak up what he could without disturbing the stitches any more than he already had. To say it hurt was an understatement. It hurt. Tremendously. But it was worth it. It was worth the moment of freedom he had experienced tonight. The sensible part of him agreed with Plagg that he should have been more careful, but the more Chat-like side of him was pleased he had gotten out, if only for a couple of hours. He grit his teeth against a flash of pain in an effort to mask what he was really experiencing from Plagg, but the kwami had been watching him closely. Too closely, it seemed, as the cat let out another snort of disapproval.

"Kid," he swallowed the contents in his mouth this time and drifted closer to the tub. He hovered just over its rim to look at Adrien's wound. "I can do a lot of things. _A lot_. But it's really difficult to extend myself to every point especially when I'm trying to compensate for your delicate mental state right now."

Adrien twitched at the word 'delicate', as he knew exactly what Plagg was getting at.

" _Especially_ when your physical state is already compromised. I'm making up for a lot here, pal, but I can't do everything."

The teen continued dabbing his knee dry only half listening to the cat creature. Plagg stared at him for another moment before drifting out of sight. Adrien didn't know what to say even if he could find it in himself to actually speak, so he pretended he didn't notice the cat departed. He was surprised, however, when the small being returned, hefting a new roll and a couple of gauze pads. Smiling weakly to show his gratitude, Adrien dried his hands on a towel that hung behind him on the wall and took the bandages from his friend. Plagg sat next to him as he proceeded to unwrap the items and carefully dress the injury.

Fatigue had made its presence known as Adrien felt his strength wane when he tried to stand. Plagg cautioned the boy gently, trying not to get worked up again as he flitted about him with concern all while Adrien limped back to his bed. The sun had risen beyond the horizon and a soft morning glow filtered through the window. Gabriel started work early, and ever since the incident he had come to check on Adrien before starting his many tasks of the day so Plagg knew he would arrive soon. The kwami watched the boy before pulling the sheet back a bit. Adrien plopped onto the bed in utter exhaustion, helping his leg up onto the bed by lifting it with the cuff of his pants he had put back on. Footsteps out in the hallway alerted Plagg who darted up to his loft, Adrien dropped his head onto his pillows and re-positioned himself to look at the doorway.

A soft knock sounded, indicating the arrival of his father who opened the door quietly, just enough to let himself in. His eyes immediately met those of his son's who greeted him by sitting up slightly with a hint of a smile. Gabriel looked at him sympathetically. His father had shown more emotion alone in the last few weeks than Adrien could even recall seeing even as a child. The man was unsurprisingly already dressed in his business attire and moved closer to the bed before addressing him.

"Couldn't sleep again?" Gabriel asked with a touch of sadness in his voice.

Adrien shook his head.

"I can imagine," his father replied. "Shall I have Nathalie bring your breakfast up now?"

Adrien shook his head a second time.

"I understand," the man nodded. "I'll inform her to bring it up around ten instead. If you'd like it earlier, just send her a text as you have in the past."

Adrien nodded.

. . .

"Son," Gabriel paused. Adrien looked at him curiously when his father continued the conversation beyond what was typically the end of their recent morning interactions. The white haired man fidgeted uncharacteristically with his fingers before continuing to speak. "Perhaps it would do you some- good, to- begin returning to school."

Adrien looked at him as if he were crazy.

"The therapist said interactions with your friends and family is one of the best ways to overcome what you're struggling through," he explained, starting to doubt the validity of the statement. "Of course," he added, expelling his doubts with a puff of air, "Nathalie will always schedule your pick up well before school lets out. In the case where she can not come, I will come personally in her stead. So. . ." Gabriel's voice trailed off as he felt fury burn anew inside him. "So there won't be a repeat. . ."

He finished his statement sharply as the mere recollection of the event caused him to lose control of his emotions. He didn't want Adrien to see see him crumble. Not after all the teen had been through. The man cleared his throat before speaking again.

"How do you feel about that?" he asked.

Adrien was caught off guard by everything his father had just said. His father had been vehemently against Adrien attending public school for the longest time. And after the kidnapping, the idea that Gabriel Agreste would ever allow him to leave the house again seemed like a fantasy. Now here he was, suggesting Adrien return to a public location he had practically needed to beg permission to attend. The boy stared at him in a stupor as he contemplated the implications of their conversation. He missed his friends terribly. Especially Nino. He missed attending classes. Interacting with his classmates and even his teachers. Even Chloe. And the thought of returning to classes initially made him excited.

But he still couldn't speak.

If he were to return now, it would be obvious he was broken. His friends would question him, and when he couldn't respond they would coddle him to the point of suffocation. Especially his blonde childhood friend. Forget his class, the _entire school_ would know he couldn't make so much as a word. The idea of being treated like the invalid he knew himself to be only made him more anxious. There was nothing good about going back right now. It was a horrible idea. He knew his father meant well, and he knew he should be excited. He should be thrilled to be reunited with his friends. But the truth was, he wasn't. He was completely terrified.

Tears gathered at his eyes and he gripped the blankets tightly in his fists in an attempt to keep himself from shaking. Gabriel's heart sank when Adrien only replied with a slight tremble. He had hoped the suggestion would overjoy him, but the look in the boy's eyes told him otherwise. Walking toward him, Gabriel extended a hand to Adrien's shoulder giving it a small squeeze in an unfamiliar attempt to provide comfort. The teen drooped against Gabriel's side, accepting the man's more frequent display of parental support, to which Gabriel tentatively put his hand on Adrien's other shoulder, pulling him into a half hug.

"You don't have to go. Wait until you're ready, Adrien."

The blonde nodded weakly at the statement, expelling a forlorn sigh as he continued leaning against his father.

"I should probably head to the office now," Gabriel said softly. "Would you like me to come back around lunch?"

It was still odd to have his father opt to spend so much time with him, but Adrien felt more at peace when he was there, even if a majority of their interactions were still in silence. It reminded him of his childhood and the time he used to spend with his father, providing a small degree of comfort against the tide of darkness that sat in his subconscious. Adrien sniffed and nodded affirmatively. Gabriel's natural stony expression softened again at the boy's response. He pulled away allowing Adrien to lay back against his pillows before returning to the door. Adrien's wet eyes blinked heavily as sleep overcame him again. For some reason, he found it was easier to sleep in the day. He only hoped his sleep would be dreamless.

Gabriel looked back at him before pulling the door ajar. Adrien had already closed his eyes, the pale skin of his face nestled in his blankets seemed even paler in the soft sunlight. A rare, small grimace of sadness spread over Gabriel's features before he finally exited the room, shutting the door quietly behind him.

* * *

 _A/N: Next update will probably come next weekend unless I finish it early. We shall see. Thanks for reading and reviewing!_


	5. Incomplete Information

_A/N: Hey guys! Welcome back. :) Thanks for reading!_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 5: Incomplete Information**_

Marinette blinked vacantly at the lined paper in front of her, Ms. Bustier's voice sounding incoherently in the background while explaining something about some aspect of some history. The blue haired girl couldn't focus, and the yawns escaping her mouth every few minutes were becoming increasingly more difficult to quiet. She was just. So. Tired. She didn't mean to sleep as little as she did. While she planned visiting Adrien, she did not predict being woken by Chat so early in the morning. After their conversation Marinette had found it difficult to sleep, constantly waking up to the smallest sound or slightest movement from her kwami companion. Her dreams were a joke as well. Adrien and Chat Noir occupied a majority of what she could remember, often fusing into one and the same individual. Chat being Adrien. . . The idea was just insane.

Thoughts of Chat Noir's appearance replayed through her mind as she scrawled scribbles across her notepad. She was certain he had kept information from her last night, but even as Ladybug it proved difficult to pry information out of that cat, especially when it had to do with the boy's health. He could be so stubborn, always insisting he was fine when something was clearly wrong. So, it wasn't terribly surprising that he hadn't told her much as Marinette the other night since he likely wouldn't have said much more if she had asked him as Ladybug. But she was determined to force it out of him one way or another. She let out a grumbled sigh.

A painful nudge collided with her ribs, snapping Marinette's thoughts to the present. Alya stared at her, casting a side nod at the front of the classroom where their teacher stood, tapping her pen on a clipboard.

"Ye- yes!" the blue haired girl replied more loudly than she had intended.

"Marinette," Ms. Bustier stated, her expression irritated. "I asked you to give me your thoughts."

"Thoughts?" Marinette repeated sheepishly.

Chloe snorted a laugh followed by a nasally 'ha ha'.

"Marinette, if you're going to daydream, kindly do it _outside_ of class," Mr. Bustier said sternly, pointing to the door, indicating Marinette had earned a meeting with the principal.

The blue haired girl sighed quietly, picking up her things as her best friend cast her a pitying frown. Chloe continued sniggering all the while, meriting a glare from Alya and Nino to which she shrugged with a smirk. Exiting the room, Marinette closed the door quietly behind her and preceded down the stairs toward Mr. Damocles' office, all the while thoughts of Chat swirling at the forefront of her mind. She really hoped he would show up for patrol tonight. She just needed to know he was actually okay.

. . . . .

Confused was the only word Adrien would choose to describe his thoughts at that moment. He couldn't rightly remember where he was or what time it could possibly be. After a long moment of staring blankly at his surroundings before coming to, it was clear it was the middle of the day and the sunlight lighting the room indicated he was in his own bed in his own home. Right, father had come by earlier to check on him. He was surprised he had actually managed to sleep. Plagg lay on the corner of the bed furiously tapping Adrien's phone screen, apparently playing an app to kill time. The little cat was much less vocal than he usually was, careful to not wake Adrien rather than verbalizing his periodic frustrations at the electronic device. After losing again, the kwami threw his little arms into the air before flopping onto his back. He suddenly whirled around into a hover when he caught a side glance of Adrien with his eyes open. Drifting over to his charge, Plagg looked at him with a sense of eagerness.

"Hey bud, how're you feeling?"

The teen would have said something akin to 'been better' but he just shrugged halfheartedly instead. Plagg seemed to get the message. Adrien felt. . . well, for lack of a better term, _dead_ inside. Sure, he still got up every day and completed the necessities of life, but that was about the extent of it. His father had fortunately cut back his modeling schedule to give adequate time for his physical injuries to recover and he didn't go to school right now, but as a result, he barely existed. He tried to distract himself with books, tv, video games, homework, music. _Anything_. And sometimes it helped. Sometimes the activity of choice distracted him sufficiently from the ever looming fear in the back of his mind. But even then, it never lasted long.

The clouds of smothering darkness always crept back, manifesting themselves with the smallest creak or flutter. The smallest sounds triggered him, but what was worse was the deathly silence of the primarily empty house. Perfect silence caused him to lock down with a panic attack most often. His father was in his office for a vast majority of the day, or away to inspect the manufacturing. Nathalie was in and out on errands as she did everyday like when he was at school, leaving Adrien alone with his thoughts in the large, spacious mansion. Occasionally he'd try conversing with the cleaning staff, but they had tasks to complete in a limited time, so it was understandable their conversations were distracted at best. They couldn't remain in one place solely to converse. Now, he had Plagg, for which he was eternally grateful, but Plagg didn't provide the presence of a human being. Additionally, while company was spotty and irregular, the kwami still needed to be cautious in his interactions, leading him to be far more quiet then Adrien would have preferred.

Adrien wished so desperately that he could just flip a switch. That everything would instantaneously be repaired, that he would no longer have to live in the fear that the tricks of his mind might one day eat him alive. He wished that he could function like a normal individual and not jump out of his skin at every noise that sounded. Better yet, he wanted so badly to be able to speak again beyond that of a pathetic, choking whisper. But everything derived from the feral, unidentified fear that resided in him, so unless the beast could be exorcised by some means, Adrien would remain in the hell of his own mind.

The black kwami reentered the teen's view, looking at him worriedly before snapping Adrien's thoughts to the present with a jolt. Plagg timidly retreated slightly by way of apology. Adrien reached out to him instead to which the kwami drifted into his palm, gazing up at him with giant green eyes that obviously wanted to question the boy again but decided to refrain. Instead he simply asked:

"Cheese?"

A small smile spread over Adrien's face to which he nodded, the little cat quickly darting across the room to the stash. At least Plagg was still predictable, offering him a tiny peace of mind. He came back with a couple of wedges, one in each paw. After noisily scarfing them both down, he grinned broadly at the teen.

"Hey kid," Plagg said, feeling renewed in spirit, "don't forget, we see Ladybug tonight."

Adrien's expression widened. He had totally forgotten. A feeling of hope bounced through him, causing him to smile a little larger. His Lady truly made everything okay.

If he could hold out until tonight, he would be all the better for it.

. . . . .

Gabriel sat at his desk, chin atop threaded fingers. His phone lit up with a notice on the screen informing him that his next call was expected in ten minutes, but the silver haired man didn't so much as twitch. Steely eyes narrowed as he continued rerunning the situation in his head, and despite the resolution courtesy his akuma, Gabriel features still folded with a disgruntled frown. Adrien's broken sadness pained him to no end. How had the one person he had left who mattered most to him had been the victim of something so horrific. Gabriel's elbows trembled against the desk with anger, causing the wood surface to groan under the rattling pressure. No, he wasn't angry, he was furious. Furious that someone as upstanding and gentle as Adrien would be injured and damaged so. He had spent so much time and energy ensuring the boy's safety, but he still ended up being hurt. He reached for a document at the edge of the desk that remained incomplete, crumpling the paper without another thought, disfiguring its contents into a mangled remain of pulp and ink within his clenched fist. The perpetrators were eliminated but Adrien remained scarred and there was nothing he could do about it.

Or was there?

The man's eyes traveled purposeless around the room as he continued to search his thoughts. Perhaps he just needed to look at the issue with a fresh perspective. Adrien needed help. Sure, he had a doctor and a psychologist, but those things took _time_. Gabriel had the butterfly miraculous. Surely otherworldly magic could yield greater results. Yes. That was it. He had been so preoccupied with Adrien as of late, his activities as Hawkmoth had been severely limited. Why hadn't he thought of this sooner? His aspirations to attain the Ladybug and Cat Miraculouses could help Adrien too. A sneer spread over his lips as the recollection of potential power entered his mind, making his gut dance with anticipation as his desire was rekindled. That settled it. Once his tasks were sufficiently complete for the day, he would lure the two unsuspecting heroes to him, whereby they would forfeit their miraculous.

No matter the cost, he would obtain those Miraculouses and cure his son.

* * *

 _A/N: *psst* Hey Hawky, hate to break it to you, but there's a glaring hole in your plan._

 _Update will be next weekend._


	6. A Sight For Sore Eyes

_A/N: Guys, thank you so much for your reviews! They seriously make my day every time. Here's an early update, as my schedule is going to be a little bit off for the next couple of weekends._

 _So, I've never written Ladynoir before, but this chapter was insanely fun to write. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it._

 _ **Chapter 6: A Sight for Sore Eyes**_

* * *

Adrien grinned as he stretched, carefully testing his limbs and joints one at a time in preparation for the long awaited night ahead. His father had already seen him before retiring for the night, so Chat Noir was in the clear. After all the sleep he had gotten over the course of that day alone, he felt almost new. Even his knee didn't throb like it normally had. Of course, a majority of his strength came from Plagg's power that coursed through the black leather suit, but it felt natural and definitely renewed his confidence. Ah, if only he never had to be to be Adrien ever again but remain the masked hero, he could live life unrestrained by the problems that beset him when he wasn't the cat. He could be someone who made an actual difference, saving real people in threatening predicaments and make the world a better place instead of simply being pretty to look at. He could do so much more as Chat Noir, that, and the time he got to spend with his lady made the whole experience incomparable to anything else in his life.

His heart melted at the thought of seeing her again, and he yearned for the heroine's company. While still taking care to avoid the eye of the cameras, he wasted no time as he exited the window and bounded toward the rooftops. He still ran and vaulted about, but he took Plagg's caution to heart, slowing his pace just enough and giving greater priority to his healing joint than he had the night before. Adrien was proud of himself for that feat alone, as the individual who awaited him at the end of his path was more than enough reason to run as fast as he was capable. But fortunately, he was there before he knew it. Now before him was his red beacon of strength, standing on their ledge of the Eiffel Tower, overlooking the city as the gentle night breeze teased her pigtails. He felt himself swoon slightly before sticking his landing behind her, then issuing a greeting.

"Well, M'Lady, aren't you a sight for sore eyes."

Ladybug didn't turn immediately, sending some confusion Chat's way. He had thought based on Marinette's report that she'd be thrilled to see him. Then again on the other hand, he supposed, she could just as well kill him for scaring her so badly. She had yet to react, making Chat all the more wary so he cleared his throat as if she hadn't heard him the first time before reaching out and placing his hand on her shoulder. She was trembling.

"Bugaboo?"

She wheeled around suddenly throwing herself into his embrace, wrapping her arms tightly around his torso. Adrien stuttered back a couple of steps before righting himself under her weight, gently pulling her into him more. She shivered against him, sniffling quietly, informing him that his absence had indeed been noticed and he, missed. Greatly. Adrien felt heat rush to his cheeks as he realized the girl of his dreams was in his arms, weeping upon his return. And he couldn't be happier to know that she cared.

Marinette didn't budge once in his embrace, taking in his familiar scent that she hadn't until then realized she had missed so much. Sure, he had visited her last night as Marinette, but the whole paradigm was significantly different when Chat knew her as Ladybug, and it seemed to make all of the difference in the world. She took great comfort in feeling his firm arms wrapped confidently around her body as she squeezed more snugly into him. The entire day, the idea that he wouldn't show up for patrol that night had been a major concern on her mind. As such, when he _did_ arrive, she found she could barely contain herself. Tears ran down her face as she buried her head into him, and she was glad he didn't seem to mind. She needed this right now. She needed _him_ and his physical reassurance that he was actually there and not just a figment of her imagination.

"I'm so glad you're alright," she whispered, still avoiding his gaze as she sniffed again.

Her words sent chills up his spine. Oh man, real life was _far_ superior to dreams. His stomach was filled with butterflies as the heat rushed to his face again. If he was certain she wouldn't punch him, he would kiss her right then and there. But prudence, it seemed, saved him the pain, and embarrassment as she pulled away at that moment. If only he could hold her longer, he mused as he watched her prop down on the ledge, facing away from him as she wiped her eyes. She was so amazing.

"I'm glad you didn't give up on me," he grinned, his tail swishing happily as he followed her lead and took a spot next to her.

Silence spread between them. Well, at least from Ladybug's perspective. As she sat there contemplating how to best bring up a potentially tender topic, Chat was trying to figure out if there was any way to nonchalantly loop his arm around her side and pull her against him. He just wanted to be near her. Hmm, maybe his tail, he thought. It seemed to have a mind of its own for the most part, so why couldn't it now? The end of his belt tail rose stealthily behind the girl's back, inching its way just over the side of her hip when she turned to look at him. His eyes bulged and the tail flipped away instinctively. Drat.

"So, kitty. What happened?"

Huh. So she hadn't noticed. Adrien scratched at his nape against his collar, brushing his longer Chat locks away from his skin as he searched his mind for an answer.

"I was. . . sick."

The same story he told Marinette, Ladybug recalled. But it wasn't good enough. She wanted more details beyond his simple, automatic explanation.

"Kitty."

She took his face into her hands causing Chat's heart rate to skyrocket as she looked him over. His imagination ran wild with all the possibilities, taken away to high fantasies as he stared into her bright blue eyes and watched her lips change ever so slightly as she looked back at him. He wanted so badly to feel them against his own, but his mind returned to earth when her eyes squinted at him with concern. He knew another question was coming.

"How'd you get this?" she asked, lightly running a finger down the puckered skin along his cheek. "Or-" She ducked a bit and touched the bottom of his chin to which he shied away from. The tone in her voice told him she wasn't going to let it go unless he satiated her curiosity, but he could try and avoid giving an answer anyway.

"You sure you don't wanna check for anything else while you're at it?" he asked instead, waggling his eyebrows at her playfully.

"Chat. . ." her voice dropped an octave, telling him she wasn't in the mood for jokes. "I'll have you know, Marinette told me your knee seemed to be giving you trouble," she said, poking it gently.

It was worth a shot.

 _'The pointy end of a knife'_ , he thought, but that's as far as the information got.

"I fell against the sharp corner of a table when I passed out," he said, grimacing as he continued the lie. "As for my knee, I just bruised it a bit when I fell on her balcony last night."

"Is that all," she asked, arching her eyebrow skeptically.

"That's it," he replied, shaking his head affirmatively.

"Please tell me you went to a hospital after you went unconscious," the girl responded, frowning sadly as the idea played through her head.

"Heh, yeah," Adrien remarked as his eyes drifted away from her to darker places. "I was there for three days," he added, knowing he could safely say that was the truth, shoving the remaining dark memories to the back of his consciousness.

"Oh, Chat," her voice broke. "I wish I had known."

Ladybug seemed close to crying again, surprising Chat but not Marinette. The progression of the last two weeks of Chat (and Adrien) missing from her life for a steadily longer duration had really taken a toll on her emotional state. However, finally hearing the story and knowing that her masked partner was okay seemed to help her approach closure on the matter, even if the tears still came. The boy looked at Ladybug, concern marking his expression as he saw her eyes water up again.

"Hey, hey," he waved his hands to his side energetically. "I'm fine now."

Marinette nodded in small motions as she tried to agree, sniffling quietly again as she pushed the tears from her face with the palm of her hand. Adrien bit his bottom lip as he mulled over ideas to distract her. He needed to act like Chat, get her to laugh or roll her eyes instead. He wanted to ease her worries completely and help her smile again, and talking about sad things wouldn't do that. Chat's eyes lit mischievously when a thought came to his mind, so he leaned in closer to her.

"They still could use some kisses better," he suggested cheekily as he grinned.

She intercepted him by placing her fingertips against his forehead and pushing him back so he was sitting upright again. Blinking away the remaining tears she rolled her eyes as a smile played over her lips.

"Maybe you can ask one of your fan girls," she replied with a smirk, not giving him an inch.

 _There_ she was.

Chat grinned happily, pleased at his success in restoring the status quo. As amazing as it was to have her cling to him, it was her unimpeded spirit and happiness mattered most to him. That's what made Ladybug, Ladybug. Besides, one day he hoped he could have both a happy, spirited Ladybug as well as one who was head over heels for him. And that day would come. It would definitely come. He let out a chuckle.

"Well then, what's the plan for tonight, My Lady?" Adrien smiled, standing, helping the girl to her feet.

Marinette put a thoughtful finger to her lip for a moment before responding with a grin.

"I was thinking, how about something a little different for tonight, just to get back into the rhythm of things?"

* * *

 _A/N: Oh man, this just_ _ **reeks**_ _of reveal fodder. It'll come eventually._

 _This will update within a week, maybe sooner. Until then, thanks again for reading and reviewing!_


	7. Aligning Goals

_A/N: Thanks for all of your reviews again everyone! In other news, I might start posting a comic-ified version of one of these fics on my tumblr or something in the near future. I'll keep you updated._

 _ **Chapter 7: Aligning Goals**_

* * *

Hawkmoth stood alone, peering from the giant observatory window at the cityscape of Paris. He sought an exceptionally more powerful drive this time instead of simply selecting the first injured soul he came across, some kind of feeling that would provide a stronger akuma. As a result, he had yet to find one that felt particularly potent. However, the night was still young. While Gabriel wanted to obtain the Miraculouses with haste, past experience taught him that picking just anyone to posses with an akuma was shortsighted. More often than not, his akuma would easily be defeated at the hands of the two heroes. If he wanted to help Adrien, his attacks would need to be more calculated and more certain. He didn't have time to waste with failed attempts. So he would exercise patience and find a more unique problem, _then_ he would use it to his advantage.

What he really needed was a way to separate the teens. As designed, the two worked well as a pair. Too well. The closest he had ever come to success had been when one of the little heroes wasn't in the same vicinity as the other. If he would find any success, he'd need to get them alone. Preferably, he'd obtain Ladybug's miraculous first. Being superior to all the Miraculouses, having Ladybug's would significantly increase his chances of getting the cat's ring. With his goals aligned, he carefully observed each negative aura he identified, evaluating their potential and what power they might most benefit from. As long as he took his time and didn't leave the actual taking of the miraculous to his victims, he would succeed.

. . .

Michelle Dubous sat alone on a park bench under the stars, peering through a pair of binoculars as she surveyed the Eiffel Tower. Ladybug had recently arrived at her regular spot, on time with her typical schedule. Michelle sighed. Would Chat Noir be absent yet again? In the past he would arrive right after Ladybug did, but recently, she had no idea where he had been and she missed seeing him. Ladybug was great and all, but certainly nothing compared to her cat in black leather. Every time he saved the students at her school, every time she saw him in the footage on the Ladyblog, she felt weak in the knees. His green eyes against his golden hair were just incredible, but that smile. . . His smile was what got her every time. His brilliant white teeth that flashed with each playful, energetic smirk. Chat Noir was, as far as Michelle was concerned, an amazing hero and the perfect gentleman. What she wouldn't give to meet him individually in person.

She sighed again, dropping her binoculars to hang around her neck as she plopped her elbows down on knees. It had been weeks since she had seen him rendezvous with Ladybug and she was starting to worry he wouldn't come back. She pulled her bag closer to her and pulled the binoculars off, staring at them wistfully as she contemplated packing up and turning in for the night. But something stopped her. A smidgen of hope caused her to pick up the viewing device once more, she looked back to the ledge of tower to find a boy clad in black landing just behind where Ladybug stood. Her heart skipped a beat as she watched him move against the moonlit sky. His cat like movements were so graceful, she could watch him all day long if it were possible. Her thoughts were interrupted as Ladybug turned to face Chat, throwing herself into his arms.

The ladybug was said to be lucky and that girl was a lucky girl indeed, Michelle thought. She would love to trade places with the lucky little Ladybug, if just for a day to see what the undying attention of her Chat Noir was like. As a normal girl, she didn't have a hope in the world of getting his attention like the red-spotted super heroine did. It was a shame really, if he had the chance to get to know her, maybe he would like her. But how could she spend time with a super hero who is constantly out to save an entire city? Then again, that's why she found ways to observe him in the first place. If she learned his schedule well enough, perhaps she could strategically place herself in his path, thereby meeting him and possibly invite him for coffee sometime. In reality though, she knew deep down it was all just a fantasy.

She watched the exchange between the two, daydreaming of what it might be like to be in Ladybug's shoes. To be wrapped in his toned arms, feeling his heart beat against her chest. Ladybug was indeed a lucky bug. The two continued their exchange, their body language changing in tandem. Ladybug pulled away from him to sit, and he immediately followed. The boy was clearly taken with her and Michelle could only wonder if Ladybug knew of his affections or if she reciprocated the feelings. Although, considering how the girl had launched herself at him earlier and seemed to linger longer than 'just a friend', it seemed more like a fact than a supposition. Michelle suddenly felt her heart jump again as she witnessed Chat lean in toward Ladybug. Was he going to. . ? Michelle felt her face flush.

Ladybug stopped him with her fingers spread and pushed him from her. Michelle gaped. Seriously, if she didn't know better, it looked like Chat was about to kiss the girl and she just turned him down. How was that possible? Yet, he continued to grin at her. Surely he was trying to mask his feelings of rejection. Michelle's face fell and she grimaced at Ladybug, unaware that her hands were trembling and causing the binoculars' view to shake. The heroine was still smiling back with a bit of smirk. Perhaps she was just toying with him, but Michelle suddenly felt anger swell up inside her. To have someone like you so much and play with their emotions so frivolously, it wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that a guy as clever and giving as Chat Noir was shafted, given the short end of the stick by the person who he, by all appearances, was completely infatuated with.

Michelle would never treat anyone like that. _Especially him._ It was so unfair. If she was Ladybug, she would ensure his feelings were reciprocated. She wanted nothing more than to make him hers. Yet, Ladybug had him. All she had to do was accept his love, but she shrugged him aside as if he were nothing. And after leading him on with such a show of concern when she hugged him initially. . . It wasn't right. Chat shouldn't be with someone who didn't want him, he should belong to someone who would keep him and never let go. Someone who loved him for who he was. Someone like her. He should belong to _her._

A butterfly as dark as midnight fluttered against the blackened night sky, moonlight barely distinguishing it from the backdrop as it reflected off the wings as the insect fluttered toward where Michelle sat. It moved as Gabriel willed it, touching down lightly on the girl's homemade, silver cat hairpin, warping its color into a black completely void of light. A calm voice echoed in the back of her mind as a purple shadow crossed over her face.

"Mimic, I am Hawkmoth. I grant you the power to gain Chat Noir's undivided attention. Go and separate him from Ladybug, claim Chat Noir for yourself. Make Ladybug realize what she has neglected all along. You need only deal with him. _I_ will handle Ladybug."

"Understood, Hawkmoth."

The girl's demeanor then changed completely. Her pastel colored clothing twisted into a dark blackish-purple dress lined along the hem and collar with fine lace, long lace gloves and stockings completed the ensemble with a quiver of large, flat metal pins. What was originally brunette hair also became iridescent but her skin remained pale, making her rather phantom-like in appearance. She let out a cackle as she looked her new style over, flipping a giant hairpin in her hand as she tested its weight. Tonight was going to be a good one, and Hawkmoth could only agree. The imminent future looked very promising.

 **. . .**

Adrien still wasn't sure if was dreaming when Ladybug suggested they patrol together for the night. While Chat was quite capable on his own worry still ate at the back of Marinette's mind, like there was still something he hadn't told her. As a result, she didn't want to leave him alone just yet. And besides, Hawkmoth had been so inactive lately, the chances that anything happened that night was unlikely. Whatever her reasoning was, however, Adrien found he could barely contain himself. Tonight would surely be reminiscent of the old days, when they still patrolled the city together as they learned how to master their powers and abilities. Back then, they still didn't know each other very well, so it would be nice to take a relaxed patrol with his lady, rather than racing after an akuma which was one of the few things they did without always dividing duties.

"Oh, before we begin," Ladybug interjected, "I promised someone I'd check on them before I headed over."

"Who was that?" Chat asked, feigning curiosity.

"Adrien Agreste," she said, rubbing her arm sheepishly. "He's a friend of mine who went through something terrible recently."

"Ah, actually, I checked on him earlier on my way over. He was already asleep," Adrien replied quickly. _'No need to check on someone who isn't there.'_

"Oh, you know him too?" the girl replied, seemingly surprised.

"Haha. . . I was surprised you knew him as well."

She nodded after a moment of deciding that Chat checking up on him was sufficient for now. She could always check on him after they were done their rounds.

"Shall we head out?" Chat asked, pointing his thumb over his shoulder. He was excited to go. Besides, the last thing Ladybug needed to do was check on him.

"Of course," Ladybug nodded, twirling her yo-yo as they prepared to launch.

As if on cue, a voice blared below them from a figure at the base of the tower. Ladybug quickly redirected her attention while Chat stumbled slightly in surprise before righting himself again as he retracted his baton. So much for their _'romantic'_ outing, Adrien thought as he expelled a puff of air in exasperation, rolling his eyes. What he'd give for a lucky break. Maybe if they took her down speedily, they'd still have a little time left to themselves. He looked to the red clad girl who nodded to him as they prepared to spring into action.

The akuma seemed intent on coming to them. Throwing what looked like giant metal hairpins from a quiver-like pouch hanging from her hip into the tower, she provided a set of platforms to leap across and climb like a set of makeshift stairs of which dissipated gradually, seemingly reappearing in her pouch at the same time. "Mimic", as she introduced herself, tore up the side of the structure with great speed, flipping skillfully onto the ledge which the teen heroes still stood, snarling at Ladybug. The red-spotted heroine's face curled with confusion at Mimic's direct frustration when the akuma then turned her attention to the boy to whom she extended her weapon free hand.

"Chat Noir, my love, shall we go on a little adventure?"

* * *

 _A/N: I figure, if Ladybug has fans, Chat Noir has gotta have them too, right? Again, thanks for your continued reading and reviews!_


	8. Entrance

_A/N: Honestly, OC characters in fanfictions have never been my favorite, but sometimes they're necessary (i.e.: akuma victims, etc.). So I am trying to give Mimic some screen time to build up the story/ drama even through I'd much rather skip right back to only Adrien, Marinette, and Hawkmoth. Hopefully the character is written well enough that she invokes something (like rage) other than boredom._

 _ **Chapter 8: Entrance**_

* * *

Adrien and Marinette both gaped at the girl simultaneously. What was her game, and did the girl seriously just say what they thought she did? Ladybug stared at the girl incredulously. _'Chat Noir, my love'_. . . How deluded. Marinette strongly resisted the urge to make a gagging gesture. If Chat was anyone's he was- wait, no. Scratch that. He wasn't _anybody's_. Chat was her kitty, sure, but he wasn't hers and he certainly wasn't _this girl's_. Marinette let out a small chuckle before bursting out laughing and doubling over herself. Mimic's face soured at her reaction, but Marinette kept laughing.

"'My love'," she chided. "Are you kidding me?" Marinette wiped a tear from her eye as she smirked again at the girl.

"Clearly you don't know who I am," the girl responded evenly.

Ladybug scoffed as she watched, anticipating another gibe or other form of retort from the black cat, but the boy didn't reply. He just stood there as the girl advanced to Chat's side, who continued to watch her in awe, not moving so much as an inch in reaction. What was he waiting for?

"Chat-" Marinette snapped. "Hey. Wake up!"

"Huh?" Adrien replied, almost as if in a daze. "Oh, yeah. Sure thing."

Marinette raised an eyebrow at his mellow reaction, only to grimace when Mimic drew next to him, snaking her arm around his waist as she placed the other hand on his cheek. She batted her long lashes at him before speaking.

"You and I are going to leave on an adventure. Wouldn't you like that, my pretty kitty?"

"Hey!" Marinette shouted, suddenly defensive. "Back off!"

Something about the girl's actions were effectively getting a rise out of Marinette. The girl was _flirting_ with Chat. Normally, Marinette would have just laughed and ignored it, but something about this chick rubbed her the wrong way. Maybe it was because Chat wasn't acting as he usually did, replying with some witty remark or a dumb pun before running off to catch up with Ladybug. But he didn't resist the akuma. . . this _girl_. And she was treating him as if she owned him, or was in a committed relationship with him at the very least. Chat could date who he wanted. It didn't bother Marinette. It never had bugged her in the past, why would it now. It was just- this _girl_. Nope, she was definitely not okay with this, akuma or not.

Ladybug flung her yo-yo toward Mimic's head only to have Chat catch it reflexively before dropping it, continuing to look blankly into Mimic's eyes, of whom didn't bother to look back to Ladybug as she smirked. What was wrong with him? It was like he was under some sort of trance as he kept _staring_ at the girl, showing no signs of reacting- at _all_. Well, with the exception of intercepting her yo-yo, which she could not understand for the life of her. Did Chat actually know this akuma? The heroine pulled her yo-yo in again, spinning it rapidly, firing again before Mimic could react, this time latching around Chat's leg and yanking him from the akuma's clutches. Chat yelped as he was cleanly ripped away from the girl's hold, twirling around with a spin before Marinette stopped his momentum with a hand at his back. Mimic stuttered forward when Chat was pulled from her, redirecting her angry red-eyed gaze at the meddling ladybug while brandishing two enormous hairpins.

"Chat!" Ladybug exclaimed, effectively pulling him out of his stupor this time.

"Thanks for the save, M'Lady," Adrien responded, dragging a hand over his face before he readied his baton. "I don't know what came over me."

"All the more reason to end this quickly," the blue-haired girl instructed, rotating her yo-yo again as she continued eyeing their opponent.

Adrien turned his attention back to the pale girl, bowing his staff in her direction when her eyes locked on his. She smiled at him kindly, extending her hand to him again. It was then as if everything else around him had suddenly been muted. The sound of her voice rang clearly through the muddled sounds from everything else, her figure standing cleanly in contrast to the undefined surroundings. He felt his knees buckle as she called out to him again.

"Come with me, my pretty kitty."

 _A red blur stood next to him shaking his shoulder as if to gain his attention, but the red blob's presence was so much weaker, much less enticing than the one standing before him. The girl in front of him wanted him to go with her, and the tone of her voice said they were going somewhere magical. His curiosity was piqued, even if it was all against the wishes of the other presence. He wasn't sure why she beckoned him, but who was he to argue. She was so breath taking._

Mimic threw a hairpin at Ladybug who deflected it without any trouble, only to find the akuma bearing down on her in a flash. The dark girl lunged twice with a flat pin in each hand, stabbing swiftly at the heroine. Ladybug called out to Chat between strikes and deflections, but the boy didn't respond in the slightest and only continued to watch Mimic in silence.

 _She was beautiful. Exactly like his Ladybug. Actually, he wasn't even sure the girl wasn't Ladybug. While she was wearing a black cocktail dress instead her spotted outfit, her likeness was the same, still donning the same mask, slender figure, movements, and everything. Darting gracefully around the red blur, she cast him occasional glances with her bright blue eyes, her smile teasing him playfully as she seemed to dance around him. No doubt about it, she was definitely his lady. And she was tempting. Oh, so very tempting._

Ladybug grunted as she launched her projectile at Mimic again, successfully landing a strike before narrowly dodging the edge of a pin that flew past her. Mimic let out a cry when the yo-yo smashed against the side of her face, knocking her into a wobble down to her knees. The akuma glared bitterly at the heroine as retracted the string, releasing it a second time aiming for the black hair clip. Mimic let out a defiant screech.

The yo-yo clattered to the ground with a clang, being repelled by a spinning metal staff. Chat stood between Ladybug and her opponent, dropping his baton to his side before turning toward Mimic and extending his hand to her. Marinette watched Chat in awe as he pulled the girl to her feet, to which she responded by pulling him into a hug.

"Are you alright, My Lady?" Chat asked, looking down to the black clad girl.

"Never better, my little kitty," Mimic grinned back, snuggling into his arms.

An unbridled fury suddenly boiled up inside Marinette's gut, making her cheeks and ears as red as her suit as she fumed. That witch. Who did she think she was playing with? She threw her yo-yo again at Chat, only to have him dodge it, stopping it a third time. Mimic didn't waste a moment, throwing a hairpin in Marinette's direction again. Ladybug managed to evade it, only to find herself at odds with a second metal blade darting right for her. Rolling to the side, she whipped her yo-yo sideways, knocking the second strike fumbling to the air as it plummeted to the street far below. Another barrage of flying hairpins clattered against her spinning barrier, each falling to the ground with a clatter. Mimic let out a yell as she threw another wave of missiles, when a rouge pin darted just under Ladybug's barrier. It tore into the sleeve of Mainette's spotted suit before embedding itself in a crossbeam of the tower, effectively pinning her arm. Marinette let out a yelp of surprise as she was impacted, her yo-yo falling from her grasp to the metal surface near her foot. Ladybug barely had time to pull to the side before a second pin lanced across her abdomen, lodging its hold on the fabric into the tower's wall as well. Mimic let out a chuckle as she stood triumphantly over her defeated foe, Chat returning to her side as the akuma goaded over her victory.

"Chat! Snap out of it," Ladybug shouted, tugging uselessly against the pins holding her down.

"Snap out of what?" Mimic asked, turning her attention back to Chat as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "There isn't any trouble right now, is there, my pretty kitty?"

"G-get away from him!" Marinette stammered angrily, her seething increasing as the girl leaned against the boy. "Chat! _Chat!_ "

"None at all, M'Lady," Chat nodded with a grin, brushing his nose against that of the black clad girl. "Now, where was this little adventure you were telling me about?"

The girl giggled as she stood on her toes to meet him, pressing her lips against his. Marinette felt herself explode. She pulled against her restraints for all she was worth, expelling an enraged scream as Chat kissed the girl back, pulling her all the more tightly against him.

 _"Chat Noir, WAKE UP!"_

Chat giggled goofily as Mimic pulled back from him, threading her hand in his as she led him to the other side of the ledge. Mimic looked up to him sweetly as Chat extended his baton to the ground.

"I thought you'd never ask," the akuma girl said.

"Wait- Chat!" Ladybug cried. " _Kitty!_ "

Marinette shouted, reaching out as if to grab him, but he was no longer there. Instead, the boy launched into the distance with Mimic in his arm, bounding off to who knows where, leaving Ladybug to her own devices. The hairpins held strong, apparently having penetrated the metal securely, as they barely wiggled even after each receiving a couple of good jerks. She pulled against their hold, pushing herself from the surface of the tower as she rammed her forearms down behind her, but the pins didn't loosen. Letting out a roar of frustration, she extended her abdomen forward to place her feet against the wall beneath her in an attempt to pry herself out. The edge of the metal pin snagging her side cut into her skin now, drawing a small amount of blood as she struggled against it.

She sucked in a panicked breath at the stinging sensation, forcing the intake of a deep breath as she tried to calm down and relax a bit. Marinette wasn't going to get anywhere at this rate and she needed to find Chat before than _siren_ did- _who knows what_ to him. Her heart rate blew sky high again at the thought, so she slammed her eyes shut and inhaled another breath. If she didn't calm down, she could never help him. Possible solutions played through her head as she sat there in silence, a calm breeze wafting past her, when something large suddenly passed in front of her, greatly disrupting the peaceful flow. Her expression blew wide again as her senses were brought back into full alert.

"Good evening, Ladybug. We meet at last."

A wave of unparalleled fear clenched her gut.

* * *

 _A/N: Involved female OCs usually drive me batty, so I'm not sure how I managed to write this. There's just something about female villains that irk me, so I'm definitely on Marinette's side in this one. Hopefully you didn't find it so infuriating that it was unreadable. If you found this chapter difficult to wade through, fret not, Mimic won't last too long. I intend to rid her of her akuma possession as soon as possible. Bear it with me. xD Thanks again for reading and reviewing!_


	9. Delusion

_A/N: Just a heads up, this chapter is a little racy but there's nothing explicit._

 _ **Chapter 9: Delusion**_

* * *

Chat fell against the mattress without hesitation, pulling the girl with him as he went. Ladybug landed with a giggle, running her fingers through his hair as they resumed kissing. Chat was in heaven. He still had no idea what had come over her, but whatever convinced her that she loved him was the best thing to ever happen to Adrien Agreste or rather, Chat Noir. Ah, whatever. They were the same. He rolled, kneeling over her as he buried his lips against her lace covered neck, coaxing another giggle to escape the blue-eyed beauty. She brushed her cheek against his as she pulled his shoulders toward her.

"I love you, my pretty kitty," she sang in a whisper against his ear.

Chills ran the length of his spine at her words. He kissed her again, pressing up against her body as she ran her fingertips along the small of his back. She planted kisses along the ridge of his jaw and down the exposed skin of his neck, to which he responded by kissing her neck again followed by her exposed shoulders before giving them a playful nibble. The girl giggled before flipping him over with a roll, kissing his nose before sitting up.

"I'll get the lights."

"I'll be waiting for you, my lovely Ladybug."

"It's not _Ladybug_. It's Mimic," she corrected, her back facing him.

"Whatever you say, Bugaboo," he grinned in retort, sitting up as he watched her flip the light off, allowing the glow of the moon to illuminate the room instead.

She crawled back onto the foot of the bed, stalking toward him on all fours as he continued to grin at her. Crawling over his legs, she straddled his hips as she pushed him back to the mattress. He traded kisses with her, daring to pass his tongue between her lips as she laid into him, running his hands over the smooth fabric of her dress as they ran down the sides of her abdomen and pelvis. The girl responded in kind, looping her arms past the wrinkles in the blankets and around his back as Chat continued to kiss her passionately. His hands traveled up her back, ecstasy convincing the fingers to seek a button or zipper for which to undo when an uncomfortable nagging sensation tugged at the back of his mind, like he had forgotten something important. His fingers froze in their tracks. But Ladybug was here _with him_ , so surely he hadn't forgotten about an akuma. . . Or had he? He pulled away from her slightly.

"Hey, M'Lady," he interjected as her bright eyes stared longingly back into his. "I hate to interrupt the moment, but uh, isn't there an akuma we still have to take care of?"

The girl smiled at him. "Silly kitty. There's no need to worry about things like that right now."

Leaning over him, she ran a finger along his jaw down his chest as she bent in to pass her lips over his with a soft kiss. Chat put a hand to her shoulder, gently sitting her up as his brow furrowed once again as the troubled feeling was renewed. What was it?

"But I'm almost sure we've forgotte-"

"Shh. . ." she shushed, placing a finger against his mouth. "That doesn't matter right now."

He clasped her hand, pulling it away from his face as pulled out from under from her. He threw his legs over the side of the bed and got to his feet, looking to the open sky window above them.

"I'm just going to check quickly," he replied, bending down and placing a quick kiss on her forehead. "I'll be right back."

"Kittyyyy-" she pouted, grabbing his hand again, but he withdrew from her, walking to the side of the room to retrieve his baton.

"Just a few minutes," he reassured her.

A deep purple passed over the girl's face as Hawkmoth's voice came into her head again.

 _'Stop him, immediately. Do not allow him to leave.'_

"But-"

 _'Need I remind you, your power comes from me. **Stop him** by any means necessary, or forfeit your chance to ever have Chat Noir again.'_

Mimic grit her teeth as she yanked a couple of hairpins from her quiver. Chat was looking to the ceiling, extending his baton as he readied to leap back to the outside when a thin metal plate darted past him catching the side of his belt tail and pinning it to the wall. Adrien whipped his view to the side as he saw another blade heading straight for him. He slapped his baton downward, knocking the pin to the floor, instinctively blocking the next as it flew toward him. His eyes widened in alarm at his heroine in front of him when he realized she was the source of the sudden assault.

"M-M'Lady, what are you _doing?!_ "

He yanked at his belt, tearing it free from the hold of the blade when another hairpin passed him, embedding itself in the side of the wide cuff of his glove and into the wall. Quickly reaching for the pin with his other hand, he suddenly felt a sharp pain enter his shoulder which elicited a yelp, instantly ceasing all movements as his arm dropped dully to his side. One of the large hairpins now jutted from his shoulder, a small amount of blood shone reflecting in the moonlight as it dribbled down his black suit. Three or four more pins then caught his costume along the calf, side, and thigh, trapping him further. The girl dashed toward him causing his expression to blow wide when she placed a hand on his cheek. Chat looked at her, his pupils constricted with fear as he watched his black-dressed Ladybug with increasing terror.

"Oh, my poor kitty," she remorsed. "Just look at you. . . your shoulder. Why didn't you listen to me?" she asked sadly, reaching hesitantly for the pin lodged in his arm.

He jerked away from her as much as the hold on him would allow, his tail trashing rapidly behind him as she continued to hone in on him.

"L-Ladybug," he shouted. "Are you _crazy?!_ "

"I am _**not** Ladybug! I am MIMIC!_"

She gripped the metal suddenly yanking it from him, eliciting a cry as Adrien's compromised flesh was torn deeper. Chat folded into himself, not noticing the girl as she stepped away from him, throwing the blade away from her in horror as she watched the boy gasp. Adrien slammed his hand against the wall. Summoning and releasing his cataclysm, he caused the immediately surrounding wall and ceiling to disintegrate and collapse, crumbling into a cloud of dust. Flipping the staff at the ground, he rocketed himself from the dusty rubble of the top floor to the roof of an adjacent structure whereupon he sprinted away without a second glace, leaping from building to building as he hastily fled the scene.

He was frantic. Racing across the city, his thoughts went back to Ladybug. Why did she- _How could_ she- It didn't seem real. To express her love to him one minute and literally stab him the next, but then seem to regret it? And she disowned the name 'Ladybug'. What was _happening?_ Chat couldn't let her find him, but the questions still stood. . . questions that didn't have answers, answers he wasn't willing to risk getting. Tears of fear and betrayal welled up in him as he continued running, pushing himself for all he was worth. He was terrified. The _one_ person he _knew_ he could trust with _anything_ , she had gone out of her way to hurt him. Fear consumed him, eating his thoughts as tears blinded him. What was he going to do now?

"Plagg!" he yelled, hoping desperately that Plagg hadn't somehow abandoned him too. _"Plagg!"_

 _"Finally!"_

"Where _the hell_ have you been?!" the teen shouted, angrily blinking away the tears in his vision.

 _"Don't use that tone with me."_ Plagg's voice was upset, and if Adrien didn't know any better, he would have said the little cat was crossing his arms and scowling as he spoke. _"I've been here the **whole** time. This is the first time I've been able to communicate clearly! AND for the record, I'm the LAST one you should be yelling at right now. There's only so much ONE CAT CAN DO!"_

"Y-yeah. Sorry, Plagg," Adrien whispered guiltily as he landed on the next building, wiping the back of his hand against his face. "I shouldn't have said that. I'm just- a little stressed."

 _"A **little** stressed ain't cutting it, pal. I'm **barely** keeping you together right now. Notice that you're still bleeding! Now take it easy, or you'll end up getting hurt even worse."_

The boy extended his baton again, digging it into the ledge of the building, launching himself over the alleyway as Plagg's voice resounded in the back of his mind. There was still so much ground to cover before he'd make it home, and there wasn't much time left on his miraculous. His body shook with adrenaline as dark thoughts of Ladybug hovered over him, causing him to cast the occasional worried glance over his shoulder to ensure he wasn't being trailed. Sniffing against the tears that poured down his face, he tried to focus on his home in the distance, automatically leaping across each alley that came between him and the next building.

However, the wound at his shoulder burned, lighting up in complete agony when he was only halfway across the next gap. Adrien instinctively rolled his shoulder into him, letting out a cry of pain as his hold on the baton slipped, leaving him to support all of his weight with one arm. Squinting through the tears and the sharp sensation as he tried to reroute only to feel himself fall, releasing his baton entirely as he slammed off course into a wall. Digging his claws into the bricks, he made a desperate attempt to slow his descent, forcing the aid of his otherwise unusable arm, clawing for any purchase he could manage.

Feet hit the ground, but not so heavily as to cause further injury. Regardless of the success of the landing, Adrien found himself having to use the wall as support as he pulled his way along the corridor. The pain in his shoulder now shot up his neck and pounded against his head. He could feel shock setting in as his vision became fuzzy, blood smearing across the wall's surface as he slumped against it when he stumbled forward. He had to get home. There was no Ladybug to save him this time. Sweat ran down his face as he tried to peer past the blackening fog when Chat caught himself against the wall, a dull pain blooming just above his knee resulting in huffing breaths of rapid succession as he struggled to remain conscious. The ring let out a final beep and Plagg felt himself yanked back into a physical state as he exited the miraculous. With the kwami's absence, Adrien felt himself fail completely, instantly dropping to his knees as his head tipped back, his arms falling limply to his side. The little cat gasped in surprise when Adrien then tipped forward, falling to the pavement with a weak grunt.

"Kid? Kid! Adrien, _come on_."

He zipped over to the boy's face, waiting for a sure sign of breathing before floating over him and patting his cheek with rapid repetition. No response.

"Wake up. Wake. Up," the cat sighed, now pushing his tiny body heavily against Adrien's face. "Aww, man. This isn't gonna be good."

* * *

 _A/N: Annnd we're further down the rabbit hole._

 _Poor Adrien, never gonna get any action with the real Ladybug, it seems._


End file.
